Come NFL Draft weekend, most eligible players will be spending that time with their families, waiting near their phones for a call from a team that they’ve been drafted or signed as an undrafted free agent. Willie Taylor’s weekend may look a little different: He’s hoping he’ll be in the semifinal round of the XFL playoffs with his Arlington Renegades teammates.
Taylor is one of two NFL draft-eligible players (along with Seattle QB Harrison Frost) currently on XFL rosters. I spoke to Taylor about his journey from FCS-level Eastern Kentucky this fall to the XFL.
Taylor arrived at Eastern Kentucky in 2022 as a transfer from Washington State. “I showed up right before fall camp and kind of hopped right into things,” he told me. Taylor started all 12 games for the Colonels, collecting two sacks, six tackles for loss, and three passes defensed from his outside linebacker position. He played a big role in Eastern Kentucky winning the ASUN Conference Championship and advancing to the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 2014.
While Taylor played OLB for Eastern Kentucky, he has experience at other positions as well that could ease his transition into the next level. “When I got there (to EKU), previously I had played defensive end at WSU (Washington State University),” he said. “I played a little outside linebacker a few years before that, so getting back to playing outside linebacker, that was fun. I feel like, for me, that’s kind of a position where I see myself playing at here in the XFL and in the future in the NFL as well.”
Once his collegiate season came to a close, Taylor had to determine what next step to take in seeking out a career in the pros. His agent suggested he try the XFL. “…(M)y agent, he just gave me a call one day and he talked about how he had some contacts in the XFL and he asked me what was my thought process on it. Initially, I didn’t know much about the XFL. I didn’t know much about it in 2020, but I knew it was coming back and I knew it was all kinda new to me. But I said if the opportunity was to present itself, I’d be excited and I’d love to do it.”
His interest in the XFL didn’t begin until the end of December, giving him little time to put his name into the Supplemental Draft, which was to take place on New Year’s Day. “I don’t think anybody really had any film on me or anything,” Taylor said. As a result, he ended up going undrafted.
His agent used contacts he had with the Renegades to get Taylor on the team’s radar. “I reached out to some of them, they reached out to me, and I was able to get them some film,” Taylor said. “It was a quick turnaround, they liked what they saw and they thought I’d be a good addition to the team so they got me down here pretty fast and (I) jumped straight into things.”
As someone looking to turn his XFL gig into an NFL opportunity, Taylor believes his experience in the league will be valuable once NFL teams begin to do their homework on him. “I thought that was great for me to come here, pick the brains of guys who were in positions that I want to be in one day. And ultimately just learn how to practice like a pro, study like a pro, just carry yourself as one and be a pro, so I thought that was a great opportunity for me…I definitely think it will put me above some others just because I’ve been through the training camp and I know what’s expected, I know what needs to be done, I know how you should handle yourself and take care of your business.”
Details in terms of the goings-on at XFL team training camps are scarce; but so far, Taylor is enjoying his first pro camp. “I got here, I was a couple weeks behind, but I’ve picked up the playbook quickly and I’ve been able to kinda show what I can do. Things have been going great, I’ve just been out there competing and learning from these guys. Just trying to get better every day. “
While others in Taylor’s shoes are working out at private facilities, preparing for the NFL Combine or their school’s pro days, Taylor’s draft prep is playing more football. “This is my draft prep. All of this is NFL draft prep for me. The way I thought about it was like, what better way to prepare yourself to go play football than to play football?”
The draft evaluation process is ongoing, though most online scouting services have Taylor going undrafted. If he’s able to make the Renegades and show out, that could change. If it does, it could lead to more players taking this unconventional route to the NFL in 2024 and beyond.
